Kante can't play: 3 ways France could line up in the quarters
A dazzling second-half onslaught courtesy of an Antoine Griezmann brace was enough to book France's spot in the last 8, though Didier Deschamps faces a selection headache with two suspensions, most notably that of Leicester City star N'Golo Kante.
Related: Kante to miss France's quarter-final match after needless booking
Kante picked up his second yellow of the tournament for a daft tackle on James McClean in Sunday's 2-1 victory over Ireland in Lyon, and will now miss out on next Sunday's quarter-final clash with either England or Iceland.
Joining Kante on the bench is Adil Rami, who, like his colleague, picked up a second yellow Sunday, and quite possibly teenage speed merchant Kingsley Coman, who came off late in the second half after subbing on for Kante minutes after the interval.
Facing a trio of selection concerns, here's a look at three ways France could line up a week from now:
4-2-3-1: Deschamps' happy balance
In Kante's absence, the pressure will be on Blaise Matuidi and Paul Pogba to fill the void left by the diminutive tough-tackling midfielder in this formation. Deschamps will also have to choose between Eliaquim Mangala and Samuel Umtiti to cover for Rami.
Juventus star Pogba will be forced to play deeper than he typically has for club or country, but he did so in the second half Sunday against the Irish, allowing Paris Saint-Germain's Matuidi to make darting runs forward.
Pros: Allows Dimitri Payet to play in the No. 10 hole, where he is most efficient.
Cons: Puts a lot of pressure on Pogba to protect a centre-half pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Mangala.
4-2-2-2: G & G, it's dynamite
After Kante was taken off early in the second half for Coman, Deschamps opted for an unconventional 4-2-2-2 to stellar results.
Olivier Giroud and Griezmann combined well, especially on the 61st-minute winner, when the stately Arsenal striker headed the ball into the Atletico Madrid standout's path.
Related - Watch: Griezmann's 3-minute double stuns upstart Ireland
Pros: Allows Giroud and Griezmann to team up in a setup rife with attacking impetus.
Cons: An unbelievably narrow formation that puts loads of pressure on Payet and Martial to track back and cover for ageing full-backs Bacary Sagna and Patrice Evra. Should England win, the two 30-plus full-backs will be tasked with covering spaces exploited by the much-younger duo of Kyle Walker and Danny Rose.
4-3-3: Safe and sound with Schneiderlin
If Deschamps wants to exercise some caution, Morgan Schneiderlin could be inserted in a central three between Matuidi and Pogba.
Yet to make an appearance after being added to the squad as a late replacement for Lassana Diarra, the Manchester United man would offer a traditional defensive presence in front of Koscielny and Mangala.
Pros: Schneiderlin's spot in the starting XI gives both Matuidi and Pogba the opportunity to push forward, and the former Southampton standout adds protection in front of the back four.
Cons: Rustier than a cast iron fence at the bottom of the English Channel and underused with his club, it would be a lot to ask of a player who hasn't played a minute of first-team football since May 10. This formation also puts an unnecessary amount of pressure on Payet to play wide.